Packing away Christmas & Memories Too

Right around New Year's, we go ahead and pack away Christmas decor. It's usually pretty sad for me, it's all over, and ready to be packed away for another year. But does it have to be? Remembering that the one true Christmas gift, Jesus, is given to us for ALWAYS, not just one month of the year, helps me not get depressed. Plus, it's only a week til Blake's birthday so that gives me something to look forward to.

This year, I was very organized in how I packed things away. I literally went through every single item, asked myself if it was something we loved and had to keep, or if we could part with it. While we didn't get rid of a whole lot, it is all organized and packed away according to how it would make next year easier to put up. I gotta say, I am impressed that I took the time to do it this way and I'm sure I'll be thankful next year. I'm even leaving the Advent calendar out so I go pre-package it now, so there will be no struggle to fill it next year. Taylor loves it so much and I keep finding myself stressed by what scripture, activity, or candy to fill it with. I let her down by not filling it by each morning, but there's so much going on. Not gonna happen next year...there will be SOMETHING in each compartment by November if it kills me..lol! Less candy, more meaning is the goal!

I reorganized the kids Christmas ornament box too. I placed everything in a separate envelope or container by year. This makes me feel so much better, since I've saved them for all these years. Here is this years ornament and Christmas Memories: